The first Monday in April Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included, please email me, faustaw2 “at” gmail “dot” com.

There are lots of interesting stories today, but do not miss Mary O’Grady’s excellent article in today’s Wall Street Journal, Aid Keeps Latin America Poor: For real progress, they need the means to accumulate wealth. This should be required reading for everybody.

Here’s also the video,

LATIN AMERICA
A meeting with Vladimir Bukovsky

Iran Setting Up Shop South of the Border

The Southern Front- Islamic Terrorism and Failed States, South and Central America

3 trends in Central American real estate as developers and buyers respond to market conditions

Why Biofuels Are the Rainforest’s Worst Enemy

Obama administration ‘comfortable’ with Hezbullah?

Latin Governments are Resorting to Protectionism to Cushion Their Economies From Effects of Global Crisis, According to Analysis Piece by Reuters

Americas summit’s draft declaration is hard to take seriously

ARGENTINA
Raúl Alfonsín, An Argentine democrat: A flawed politician of rare integrity

La coparticipacion de la violencia

BOLIVIA
Biggest cocaine lab found in Bolivia

Sin resistencia no habra democracia

BRAZIL
Brazil Constructs Walls Around its Slums and Sends a Message: “You’re doing it Wrong.”

Rudd stunned

Brazil’s ‘Teflon’ Leader Nicked by Slump

CHILE
The progressives’ Chile summit: Home truths. A global alliance of the centre-left is (scratchily) back in business

COLOMBIA
From Medellin, Hopeful Signs For A Free-Trade Pact

COSTA RICA
La advertencia de Biden
La lucha de México contra la droga tendrá el efecto secundario de empujar a los traficantes hacia Centroamérica
Para desgracia de México, los esfuerzos por cerrar el corredor del narcotráfico en el Caribe tuvieron éxito

U.S. Promotes “Good Friends” Policy in Central America

CUBA
No to Penguins and Albatrosses, Yes to Supporting a State Sponsor of Terrorism

Brunswick, ME…Castro’s useful propogandists…

Via Power Line, How not to promote democracy in Cuba and at home

U.S to Lift Some Cuba Travel Curbs

‘Hey! Let’s ease restrictions on Cuba’ – Lugar

Lugar favors a special envoy to Castro

House reps head to Cuba

Embargo myth #1

NYT Ignores Free Speech Activist Yoani Sanchez; Focuses on Lefties

ECUADOR
Correa Calls for Arrest of Journalist

EL SALVADOR
Subverting Latin Democracy
Hugo Chávez scores a victory in El Salvador. Is Panama next?

Obama curtails successful drug interdiction program in El Salvador

GUATEMALA
Zeta camp found in Guatemala

MEXICO
Mexican asylum seekers on rise in Vancouver
Large number of those hoping to stay in Canada are affluent professionals claiming to be on the run from warring drug cartels

Washington continues to play ostrich about Mexico (UPDATED 2X)

Mexican and U.S. Attorneys General Confer to Strengthen Cooperation on Drug Violence

Stepping up the fight in Mexico

Two from The Economist:
Taking on the narcos, and their American guns. Senior American officials are trooping to Mexico with assurances of support in its drug war. Will warm words be backed up by action?
The Mexico-US border: Fear of violence, But still pretty safe—on the northern side

PARAGUAY
Fundacion Libertad presenta a Franco un plan de impuesto unico

PUERTO RICO
FBI: Thousands of Puerto Ricans victims of ID theft

As many as 12,000 Puerto Rican schoolchildren, teachers and school administrators are believed to be victims of an identity-theft ring that sold stolen personal documents to illegal immigrants in the mainland United States, according to the FBI.

VENEZUELA
Prisoners from Guantánamo would be welcome in Venezuela

Miss Universe Displays Better Judgment than President Obama

Cuba’s style justice in Venezuela

Chavez completes repressive sweep, as April 2002 policemen are condemned to 30 years in prison

Chavez: Capitalism is ‘the Road to Hell’

How squeaky clean is Teodoro Petkoff?

Meanwhile, in that other haven for narcos…….

Hoy se celebra audiencia de Baduel

Venezuela’s Chavez: Capitalism Must End

IMMIGRATION
McCain loses temper with Hispanic immigration activists

Census Head to Use “Community Organizing” Groups to Count (or… “Count”) Illegal Aliens

Special thanks to the Baron, Eneas, Larwyn and Maggie.